What is Heart Failure?

[TracyAdmin]

Did you know.... Heart failure is a condition in which your heart does not pump blood as efficiently around your body as it should, which makes it difficult for your body

to get as much oxygen and blood as it needs. When the organs do not get enough oxygen to work effectively, this can then cause a variety of symptoms, including: palpitation, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, weakness, dizziness or fainting, rapid weight gain from fluid retention or decreased alertness.

To find our more, download our 'Living with Heart Failure' booklet; api.heartrhythmalliance.org...

Alternatively, please feel free to contact our Patient Services Team for further advice or support: heartrhythmalliance.org/aa/...

[Deejay62]

Thank you for these links. I’ve been diagnosed for 20+years now. I first got given the old manuals, but reading this is very understandable.

It’s a pity it’s not on the other site. People are constantly asking about heart failure they’ve been diagnosed with, or are frightened because they just found out their EF is low. They also query the medications they are given.

I did read about having heart failure if your EF is between 50-75% before but I wasn’t too sure, because many say they’ve been diagnosed and their EF is 55 or above, this document I don’t think explains that either.

Thank you very much for this. Please post it on the other site if you can because I don’t know how to.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to Deejay62]

Hello, You are very welcome, and I am pleased that you have found the information so helpful, you will also find a wealth of information by visiting Arrhythmia Alliance website; heartrhythmalliance.org/aa/..., which include video presentations by the medical experts, who offer a better understanding of your condition. The EF percentage is a question that should be discussed direct with a Dr as they have access to individual medical notes and will be able to respond on an individual basis. Would you mind letting me know which 'other site' you are referring to and I will do my best to rectify?

Many thanks

TracyAdmin

[Deejay62 in reply to TracyAdmin]

British Heart foundation section😀I’m not good at terminologies. It all comes under health unlocked. I joined various sections because I have various illnesses. I hope I’m making sense.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to Deejay62]

Thank you for confirming!

[Lezzers in reply to Deejay62]

Hi deejay

Are you referring to heart failure with preserved EF, HFpEF? I'm no expert on this so perhaps TracyAdmin could confirm, but my understanding is HFrEF (reduced EF) is when the heart isn't able to pump (eject) the blood from the heart effectively whereas HFpEF (preserved EF) is when the heart isn't able to fill up effectively.

Medication for HFrEF can improve your EF, often bringing it up a normal or near normal number. However as you will normally still need to keep taking your meds to maintain that improvement you are still classed as having HF.

Hope that makes sense to you & helps.

Regards

[Deejay62 in reply to Lezzers]

Hi Lezzers I was talking about heart failure when your EF is between 50-75%. Because sometimes people come on and say they’ve been told they have heart failure and their EF is 55%.

My EF is 23% so I have a better understanding reading Tracy’s link, which was very clear.

[Lezzers]

Sorry, I'm probably being a bit dim. But do you mean HF with a preserved EF, which is heart failure with a normal EF, usually between 50/70? Also known as right sided HF as your heart fills up from the right side.

If you mean HF with a reduced EF ( which is left sided HF) but the EF has increased to a normal number between 50/70 then it's still heart failure with reduced EF or as now known as mid range EF, HFmrEF, which I believe is a relatively new term & is used if your EF is between 41 & 49%.

Its all quite complicated to explain but your EF is only affected if you have left sided HF not with right sided HF.

My husband has had left sided HF (HFrEF ) for 12 years, in that time his EF has ranged from 35 to 30 to 50 to 41 & is now 30/35. When his EF was 50, he was still classed as HF with reduced EF as it was the meds that were improving his EF.